Unlucky Thirteen
by Double Duck Avenger
Summary: An angsty, depressing oneshot where Stumpy's life falls apart.


Lying on his bed, Stumpy stared forlornly at the ceiling. The events of the past one year had left him feeling emotionally drained and exhausted. He was just so sick and tired of it all.

It all started the day before Kaeloo's birthday. The main four were preparing for the birthday party when Quack Quack had casually asked how old she was turning. _Thirteen_, she replied. Everyone stared in horror. And then it hit her. She wouldn't belong anymore. She would have to leave forever. Hastily, they set up the party and had it that evening, so she wouldn't have to randomly disappear in the middle of her party. Nobody really felt like celebrating, however. The cake tasted like cardboard in their mouths and the party games failed to distract anyone from the threat looming over them, which would become a reality the next day. At the end of the party, Kaeloo reassured them that everything would be perfectly fine, and she hugged each one of them. Quack Quack looked fairly upset. Mr. Cat choked back a sob or two and managed a watery smile. Stumpy just stared at the ground.

He and Quack Quack and Mr. Cat would grieve together, like brothers, supporting one another through these hard times until they felt better. Or at least that's what he thought until they went to see Kaeloo off, when Mr. Cat showed up carrying a pair of suitcases and announced that he had every intention of going with her, and he wouldn't take no for an answer. Not that it took much convincing. She practically leapt into his arms and the two hugged for what felt like an eternity, both to the two of them and to the squirrel who was staring at them in disbelief. They asked if Stumpy and Quack Quack would like to go with them too. Quack Quack declined; someone had to watch over the place, and he was more than willing to take on the job. Kaeloo handed Quack Quack Smileyland's book of rules and appointed him the new Guardian. Stumpy decided to stay behind too, if only for Quack Quack's sake. He just sat there and watched as they happily chatted about what they would do after they left, not knowing what to say. An hour later, realizing that it was time to go, Kaeloo and Mr. Cat said goodbye to Stumpy and Quack Quack and disappeared through the door, never to set foot in Smileyland again.

Their daily video chat sessions turned to weekly ones. Text messages dried up as well. A few months later, he received a notification on Fakebook. Kaeloo had posted a picture of herself and Mr. Cat snuggled up against each other, with a cheery caption that revealed that they were a couple now. Oh. He felt happy for them, but couldn't help but feel dismayed at the fact that he hadn't been there to witness it happen. _Congratulations_, he wrote in the comments section after liking their picture. Kaeloo liked his response. So did Mr. Cat. _Thanks_, read their responses. There was nothing else to say.

The loneliness was slowly starting to drive him insane. He wanted nothing more than to move back in with Kaeloo and Mr. Cat, but they were a couple now, and he would just be a third wheel who got in their way all the time. Every time he tried to confide in Quack Quack, the duck merely reminded him to "have fun". That's what the rule book said, and Quack Quack would like to follow the rules to a T. _It's what Kaeloo would have wanted_, insisted the bird. If only Stumpy still had Ursula. But he didn't, because he had dumped her for Pretty, only to find out that Pretty didn't even want to be seen with him in public.

His soliloquy was interrupted by a notification on his phone. He opened it to see yet another sickeningly sweet picture of Kaeloo and Mr. Cat on Kaeloo's Fakebook profile. _I don't know what I'd do without him_, the caption read.

Looking at the post, he felt anger boil up inside him. Anger at Mr. Cat for abandoning him. Anger at Kaeloo for taking Mr. Cat away from him. Anger at both of them for having someone who they could confide in and who loved them, and for not putting much effort into maintaining their relationship with him. Anger at Quack Quack for not caring at all. Anger at Pretty for what she had done to him. But most of all, anger at himself for not having agreed to join Kaeloo and Mr. Cat. If only he had done that, he'd still have them. Maybe Quack Quack could have been persuaded to come with them, too. The four of them would still be together, like a close-knit family. He'd still have an outlet from the cruel taunts of his classmates and from the ever-increasing demands of his annoying parents. Oh, how he reviled everyone at that moment. Feeling inspired by another wave of hatred, he slipped a hundred dollar bill out of his mom's purse and walked outside.

Eventually, he came across Olaf, who had a variety of gadgets and weapons stocked outside on a table in front of his igloo. "My wife wanted to make space in our home," he said, gesturing to the block of ice next to him. "I'm having a, how you say, garage sale," he clarified. Stumpy pulled the hundred dollar bill out of his "pocket" and slid it towards Olaf. Intrigued, Olaf showed him all the options he could choose from. After making his choices, Stumpy ran towards the couch, where Quack Quack was sitting. "Hey, duckface," he said in a rather menacing tone. "Quack?" said Quack Quack, and he turned around, only to see Stumpy pointing a bazooka at him.

**And the cycle continues! I hope you liked this incredibly depressing oneshot. Please read and review!**


End file.
